The San Antonio Spurs’ newest first-rounder is already learning the first big lesson of life in the NBA: everything moves faster.
Tarris Reed Jr., whom the Spurs grabbed 26th overall after sending two second-round picks to the Denver Nuggets to move up, said the jump from college to the pro game is going to demand an adjustment. That matters even more with Summer League around the corner, where San Antonio is hoping its 2026 draft class can make an early impression.
Sophomore Carter Bryant will serve as the team’s “veteran leader” in Summer League, while 20th overall pick Jayden Quaintance will not play. That leaves Reed, Maliq Brown, and Ja’Kobi Gillespie as the three draft picks set to suit up.
Reed, a center out of UConn, is projected to be the Spurs’ third-string center next season. But with Quaintance injured, he could end up being the first rookie to make his debut.
For Reed, the priority right now is simple: get comfortable with the speed, spacing, and demands of the NBA game.
“First thing I noticed, the game's a lot faster than college,” Reed said. “We played a little bit slower at UConn, but here it's just fast-paced, fast-tempo, 24-second shot clock, three-second lane violation.
So you really have to be on your P's and Q's defensively, and everyone's an elite athlete. So I feel like that's the biggest thing.
And like I said, going out and getting my feet wet, not putting too much pressure or expectations on myself, go out there, compete, play hard, and live with the result.”
Reed’s college résumé gives him a real foundation to work with. In his second and final season with the Huskies, he averaged 14.7 points and nine rebounds while leading the Big East in field goal percentage. Before that, he spent two years at Michigan, giving him four years of college experience before arriving in San Antonio.
That background points to a player who can bring physicality, rebounding, and the kind of hard-nosed work that still has value at the next level. The challenge now is whether that game translates when the athletes are quicker, the windows are smaller, and the pace never lets up.
In Other News...
Tarris Reeds Spurs Debut Was Suddenly Overshadowed By Another UConn Setback
Tarris Reed Jr. finally got his NBA Summer League debut with the Spurs, and the former UConn big man gave them a useful first look in an 88-87 loss to the Heat. Reed finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and a block, flashing the kind of interior presence that made him such an interesting development piece coming out of Storrs, even if the night had the usual first-game bumps.
Spurs Summer League coach Corliss Williamson said the performance still had some rust and jitters in it, which is hardly surprising for a player making his first appearance at that level. For UConn fans tracking the pro summer circuit, Reeds outing was also part of a broader watch list that suddenly feels a little more complicated, with another familiar name now facing a setback that could alter the early rhythm of his summer. [Read more 🡒]
Alex Karabans NBA Debut Is Suddenly On Hold
Alex Karabans start with the Kings has hit a brief pause before it really got going. Sacramento said the former UConn standout will miss at least a week after hurting his right ankle in practice, putting a temporary hold on the NBA debut that had been set to begin with summer league action.
Karaban still has a chance to return for upcoming summer league events, but the next checkpoint comes next Friday when he is re-evaluated. For a player who arrived in Sacramento via a draft-night trade after being selected by Cleveland, it is an untimely setback, especially after a college career at UConn that was defined by rare availability and steady production. [Read more 🡒]